One person was killed and 55 passengers were injured when 14 bogies of Brahmaputra Mail derailed about 15 km from New Jalpaiguri junction on Sunday night.

A body of a pantry worker was recovered from the pantry car on Monday morning, additional divisional railway manager of New Jalpaiguri N Punnuswamy, who is supervising rescue operations on the spot said.

The Brahmaputra Mail, which had set out from Guwahati was headed for New Delhi when the incident occurred between Rangapani and Nijbari stations at 10:55 pm last night. The victim's identity is yet to be established, he said, adding that gas cutters were used to cut through the pantry car and few other bogies.

Following the derailment, movement of trains to the north-east region has been stopped, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) sources said. They added that the rescue work was going on at a war-footing to clear the tracks and restore the railway-link to the north-east.

Meanwhile, the cause of the accident is yet to be known.

"An inquiry has been ordered by the NFR and only after the report is available, we shall be able to find out the exact reason behind the incident," said Punnuswami, who while replying to a question did not rule out the possibility of a sabotage behind the derailment.

Sources at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, where eight of the injured were admitted, said the condition of one patient was critical.

The Brahmaputra Mail, which had set out from Guwahati was headed for New Delhi when the incident occurred between Rangapani and Nijbari stations at 10:55 pm last night. Three bogies, behind to the engine, went ahead but the remaining 14 bogies were derailed.

While seven bogies of the train touched the ground after derailment, seven others skidded off the tracks and were scattered up to 50 yards away from the track, they said.

Locals swung into action at once to help the trapped passengers, including women and children, come out of the derailed bogies. A railway medical van rushed to the spot and treated passengers on an emergency basis after rescuing them and referred some of them to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, four km away from the accident site, as their condition was serious.

Four North Bengal State Transport Corporation buses were requisitioned for transportation of stranded passengers, the sources said.

The NFR has announced following helpline numbers for the families of the passengers: 0353-2691800/ 2691808/ 2691555/2691766.